A Kissimmee man who fled from police in a stolen vehicle before he was eventually caught with thousands of Fentanyl pills has been sentenced to prison.

On Wednesday, November 13, U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger sentenced 23-year-old Jonathan Nicola to 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute two kilograms of fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Nicola pleaded guilty to the charges in April.

According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched an investigation that focused on a package that was delivered to an address in St. Cloud. On January 11, at around 2:10 p.m., law enforcement officers observed a man, identified as Nicola, exit a white Mercedes car and retrieve the package.

When the officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Nicola accelerated and entered the Florida Turnpike, traveling northbound. A high-speed pursuit ensued, and it lasted approximately 14 miles.

During the pursuit, multiple car accidents were caused as Nicola drove on the shoulder and into oncoming traffic, ran red lights, and endangered motorists in the area. At one point, officers estimated that Nicola’s vehicle was traveling over 100 miles per hour in a 45-mph zone.

When Nicola reached the intersection of Washington Woods Lane and Landstar Boulevard in Orlando, he failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway and crashed.

Nicola crashes car after leading police on chase
Nicola crashed near the intersection of Washington Woods Lane and Landstar Boulevard in Orlando after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase.

As law enforcement cleared the vehicle to ensure that no other occupants were present, they found a digital scale and numerous small baggies within the driver’s door pocket.

A K-9 unit was called to the scene and, while walking around the subject vehicle, positively alerted law enforcement to the presence of narcotics.

A digital scale and numerous small baggies were found inside Nicola s vehicle
A digital scale was found inside the vehicle, along with numerous fentanyl pills that weighed nearly four and a half pounds.

During an extensive search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded 9mm handgun, drug paraphernalia, and a box containing a clear vacuum-sealed bag filled with 15,000 fentanyl pills that were made to look like OxyContin.

Gun recovered from Nicolas vehicle
This 9mm handgun was recovered from the vehicle.

Nicola was arrested and transported to Orange County Jail, where he remained in custody until his sentencing on November 13.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the St. Cloud Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana E. Hill.